The captain of the Yankees, Derek Jeter, will return tomorrow and play shortstop against those no-good Boston Red Sox. The Yankees would have been OK with him not playing until Thursday.

In other news …

· Brian Bruney, he of the 7.56 ERA in spring training, joked about whether he would make the team. Joe Girardi said that wasn’t in doubt. But Girardi was dead serious when he said Bruney needed to get himself going.

Bruney has allowed three homers in 8.1 innings.

· Nick Swisher was not thrilled to learn he would be on the bench. He and Girardi met this morning back in Tampa. But Swisher kept his composure when talking about it, saying he thought carefully about what he wanted to say.

“You might say something that will come out the wrong way. I’m not going to do that,” he said. “This is a great team and we have an opportunity to do some wonderful things this year. I want to be a part of that; I want to win. Coming over here, that was the biggest thing, I want to win. But I also want to be a part. I’ve played every day pretty much my whole career. I think there’s going to be a lot of at-bats out there for me. I’ve got to be ready when I’m told I’m ready to play.

“I don’t know how to put it. I don’t know how I’m feeling or whatever. I just know I want to be in there everyday. That’s it, that’s what I can say.”

· Dan Giese and Brett Tomko will pitch against the Braves on Saturday in Orlando. CMW will pitch in a minor-league game.

· A-Rod will apparently not get back to Tampa while the team is still here. His rehab will continue in Colorado. Insert joke on hookers here.

· Here’s how you know the season is dawning: clubhouse manager Rob Cucuzza was walking around today with a chart of the clubhouse at the new Stadium letting guys pick their lockers. Most of the big-name guys have already made their choice.

· Jorge Posada on his travels today: “It was like Little League, looking for a dry field to play.” Said Wang: “Like kids, we went everywhere.”